Rail-joint.



WILLIAM OPPELT, OF JUNIATA, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 11, 1908.

Applicatiomfiled March 11, 1908. Serial No. 420,416

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, I/VILLIAM OPPELT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Juniata, in the county of Blair and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates .to rail joints, and the object of the invention is the provision of novel means whereby the rail sections may be securely fastened together and the rails prevented from creeping; furthermore to provide a device which will be extremely simple in construction, strong, durable, comparatively inexpensive, and highly efficient in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rail joint that may be easily removed and replaced when desired, the connecting elements being so constructed and arranged as to effectively relieve the nuts and bolts from strain when the rails contract and expand.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a rail joint that will secure the rails together in a manner which will effectively prevent the sagging of the rail ends when the wheels of a car pass from the end of one of the rails to the end of the succeeding rail,

WVith these and other objects in view the invention resides in the novel construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure'l is a perspective view of the meeting ends of a pair of rails connected by my improved rail joint. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the ends of apair ofrails employed with my joint, showing the rails slightly spaced apart and the intermediate block or web member. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

In the accompanying drawings the numerals 1 designate the meeting ends of a pair of rails. These. rails 1 are constructed in the usual manner having a head 2, web 3 and base flanges 4. In the contemplated form of my invention I cut away a portion of the web of the rails between the head and base flange, near the ends of the rails a suitable distance to provide a slot or opening 5. The slots or openings 5 of the rails are adapted for the reception of a splice block or web section 6, of a size and shape corresponding with the ordinary web of the rails. The block 6 is adapted to be positioned within the cut away portions 5, and to bear against the under face of the head 2 and the base flange 4 of the rails, thus'providing an intermediate splice having an effective bearing, for the ends of the rails.

The rails 1, have their webs 3 provided with suitable elongated openings adapted for the'reception of the retaining elements by which the fish plates 7 are secured to the rails. The fish plates 7, employed with my improvement are provided with the usual longitudinal body portion 8, adapted. to provide a bearing between the under faces of the heads of the rails and the flange of the rails, and are provided with angular portions 9 adapted to overlie the flanges 4 of the rails. The fish plates 7 are centrally provided with an extension 10, having an extending portion 11, adapted to underlie the base flange 4 and toprovide a substantial chair for the rails. The extension adjacent the edges of the flange 9 are provided with a suitable opening 12 adapted to coincide with similar openings provided within the body 13 and the overly ing'flanges 14 of a clamp member 15, and these openings are adapted for the reception of retaining elements 16 by which the clamp and integral chair of the fish plates are secured together.

From the above description it will be seen that I have provided an extremely simple and effective means for connecting the meeting ends of rails, it being understood that the chair and the clamp are positioned directly beneath the meeting ends of the rails, and thereby provide an effective brace for preventing the sagging or creeping of the rails. The block 6 being positioned within the openings 5 of the rails also provide additional means for preventing the sagging of the rails as the rolling stock passes over the ends of the rails.

Having thus fully described the invention what is claimed as new is:

The combination of a pair of rails having their webs adjacent their ends cut away, a block for said cut away portions of the rails, fish plates for the rails, the central portion of the fish plates being provided with a chair adapted to underlie the meeting ends of the rails, and a clamp connecting the chairs of the fish plates.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' WILLIAM OPPELT. WVitnesses:

FRANK P. BECK, L. M. SHETTEL. 

